Recipe of the week: September in Nova Scotia: Cod cakes with chowchow

Eva and Archie Murphy live in a shingled farmhouse on Cape Breton Island, said Sasha Chapman in Saveur. This corner of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia was settled by Irish and Scottish immigrants. To help them survive the harsh winters, the potato became an everyday staple. Here “a meal isn’t a meal without them.” Potatoes feature prominently in Eva’s recipe for cod cakes. These should be allowed to firm up in the refrigerator to hold their shape before they are fried. They are best enjoyed with chowchow, a tart-sweet relish that makes good use of late-summer produce.

Recipe of the week

Cape Breton Cod Cakes

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 ribs celery, finely chopped

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

2 russet potatoes (about 1 lb), peeled and cut into ¼-inch cubes

Kosher salt, to taste

1 lb boneless, skinless cod filets

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

½ cup dried bread crumbs

¼ cup mayonnaise

2 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill

2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 egg yolk, beaten?

1 tbsp lemon juice

4 tbsp unsalted butter

Chowchow, for serving (optional)

Heat 2 tbsp oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add celery, onions, garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 8 minutes. Transfer celery-onion mixture to large bowl; set aside.

Put potatoes into 4-quart saucepan; cover with salted water by 1 inch. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium; simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain; transfer half the potatoes to plate. Set aside to let cool. Transfer remaining potatoes to bowl; mash with fork. Transfer mashed potatoes to reserved bowl of onion mixture; set aside to let cool.

Season cod with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tbsp oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add cod and cook, turning once with metal spatula, until cooked through, 8–10 minutes. Transfer cod to plate; let cool. Break cod into 1-inch chunks; set aside.

Add bread crumbs, mayonnaise, herbs, egg yolk, lemon juice to potato-onion mixture; stir vigorously to combine. Add reserved cubed potatoes and cod; mix gently to combine. Using hands, divide mixture into 8 equal portions; form into 3-inch-wide cakes (use a 3-inch ring mold if you have one). Transfer cakes to a wax paper–lined baking sheet; cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate for 30 minutes, until firm. Working in 2 batches, heat 1 tbsp oil and 2 tbsp butter in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add cod cakes and cook, flipping once, until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer cakes to serving platter; serve with chowchow. Serves 4.

Chowchow

1½ lbs green tomatoes, cored and finely chopped

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

1 rib celery, finely chopped

½ green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and finely chopped

½ red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and finely chopped

2 tbsp kosher salt

½ cup sugar

1⁄3 cup distilled white vinegar

1½ tsp dry mustard

1½ tsp yellow mustard seeds

1 tsp celery seeds

1 tsp crushed red chili flakes

¼ tsp ground cilantro

Toss tomatoes, onions, celery, peppers in large bowl with salt; cover with plastic wrap; let sit at room temperature for 4 hours or overnight. Transfer vegetables to sieve; press to extract excess juices; discard juices. Transfer vegetables to 6-quart saucepan; add remaining ingredients. Cover; bring mixture to boil; reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very soft, about 2½ hours. Transfer relish to jar; let cool. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Makes about 3 cups.